Blog Archives

This week on the show, we talk about the man who makes teenagers cry and experience the “feels”, John Green!

Also, I hate ” the feels” as a phrase. If I was being harsh, and I am, it’s a lazy way to ignore real emotions that can make experiences deeper. Where the Wild Things Are didn’t give me “the feels”. It made me sad and melancholy and reminded me of making mistakes as a kid and thinking they’re the end of the world.

None of that ranting is about John Green, though! We talk all of his books, Looking for Alaska, The Fault in Our Stars, Help! I Have Too Many Katherine’s and I Don’t Know What to Do With Them All!, and the rest. We have our own music master, Ben, on the show to help us through the books Nic and I haven’t read. It’s a good episode. And not just because it’s my birthday episode.

We also talk about how Ruth Ware’s new book can’t be as successful as the terrible Woman in Cabin 10. People had to get wise, right? Nic and Ben also review The Dark Tower, which I haven’t seen, but from all accounts sounds pretty embarrassing. And the trailers made it look like a bad 90s action flick, like The Last Action Hero. It should be easy, a dark western with some magic and maybe some horror. But the first book, The Gunslinger was underwhelming and I couldn’t finish the second one. I guess some ideas are too good for the world.

You can follow us on Soundcloud, Youtube or iTunes and even Twitter! I’m sure there’s another, cool platform I’m forgetting but you can follow us on that too!

When the show first started, we talked so much about Joyce Carol Oates that I worried people would think she was the real focus of the podcast. But, as we’ve gone on, I’ve grown to realize a new fear, an all too real one, and that’s James Patterson.

He’s in our book news segment, he’s in our spotlight, we do bits on him, sometimes he’s in our bookmarks or a book club! The guy is impossible to not talk about when doing a book podcast. We’d have to be genre specific to avoid him, but he’s even got science fiction books and his name is all over young adult and children’s books. And bookshots, right?

I don’t know what his goals are as a writer, other than making millions of dollars and never wanting for anything. When I see authors with co-authors, who barely write their own books anymore, or who have been writing the same series exclusively for years, I wonder how they feel about it. Is it the same as doing your fifty year tour as The Who or playing Wolverine for seventeen years? As a writer, do you feel fulfilled or satisfied? It’s interesting, because I doubt Patterson is bummed he’s not writing all his own books. He probably spends more time writing checks for new couches! I can’t even begin to imagine the couch a million dollars could get you. The fabric alone makes my mind boggle.

Also, so sorry for the audio problems. My laptop shut off during the first twenty minutes and than I forgot to turn the external mics back on for the middle section. But that last twenty minutes, man, are they good.

You can follow us on Soundcloud, Youtube or iTunes and even Twitter! I’m sure there’s another, cool platform I’m forgetting but you can follow us on that too!

In which we actually discuss the early aughts. Not too much to add to this episode. We’ve reached the point where we won’t be looking at past decades anymore.

2000-2010 is where I stopped reading for a long time and then got back into it as an older teen. It’s when I got into the X-Men, Marvel and comic books. It’s when I bought my PS2, one of my favorite video game consoles ever. It’s when I dropped out of high school and enrolled in college. It’s when I started listening to the Red Hot Chili Peppers and got into classic rock. It’s when the family photo albums stops having pictures of me.

Important years, but we probably don’t won’t to dwell of go back there.

You can follow us on Soundcloud, Youtube or iTunes and even Twitter! I’m sure there’s another, cool platform I’m forgetting but you can follow us on that too!

That seems a bit crazy. A hundred is a lot, right? I listen to podcasts that haven’t reached that number. We must be doing something right.

We talk about a few different things this episode. James Patterson, for one. The amount of free press we’ve given that guy is silly. Not that he needs it. I guess I’m going to have to read his stuff soon. I don’t want to, though. And, surprising myself, I’m not loving Me, Earl and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews. Also, we learn Nic has an issue with Megs. No idea where that came from.

I wish I had more to say about us turning one hundred weeks old but I got to prepare for our two year anniversary next month. That’s a lot of book-related content. If you have thoughts about that, let me know. If you don’t, let me know too. Because I’d love to know why you hate our show. It’s Nic, right? I’ve known for at least forty of these shows.

You can follow us on Soundcloud, Youtube or iTunes and even Twitter! I’m sure there’s another, cool platform I’m forgetting but you can follow us on that too!

This week’s episode we discuss the great, unfinished works of literature. Not posthumous releases mind you, but books that were simply not finished before the author died. So, yes, still posthumous releases, but not…LOOK. You always do this!

As I say on the show, I don’t think it’s a big issue to release unfinished work after the artist himself has passed on. Academically, I think it’s interesting to see what could have been. And no one ever questions if we should collect unfinished CDs or music from bands or singers after they leave. I mean, they keep trying to put out new Beatles records.

But you might disagree, so let me know know and I’ll tell Nic and then we’ll tell you on the podcast. It’s a cycle and you’re the most important raindrop in it. Let us evaporate your thoughts. Also, I hope you understand the water cycle or that was all nonsense.

You can follow us on Soundcloud, Youtube or iTunes and even Twitter! I’m sure there’s another, cool platform I’m forgetting but you can follow us on that too!

Harry Potter turned twenty or hadn’t you heard? He’s so old now and so are you. Once, you were young, reading Harry Potter as a ten year old. Now, you’re thirty and you have to wonder if this what life is about, if Logan wasn’t one of the most poignant films you’ll ever see, if…okay, time to get of this magical train and get to the real topic at hand. Aging wizards.

I tend to be harsh on the whole Harry Potter world. I loved the first and third book when I was a kid but the long wait between installments caused me to drift away. The fandom also annoyed me and I didn’t want to be classified as whatever the millions of them were.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve also grown annoyed that it seems like the Harry Potter series didn’t really create readers, so much as Harry Potter fans. While in college, and specifically writing classes, it seemed to me that most people loved the books/movies but never ventured far from home. I’d be much happier if it seemed like those that liked Harry Potter let it lead them to different books and life-long reading. Other urban fantasy or what-not. Or just the habit of reading the popular titles would be enough, as long as their holding a book. I’m not a fan of “I only read these books, nothing else.” Maybe it works for some, but I don’t like it.

I think we talked about other stuff this episode, but the majority of it is Harry Potter. We’re joined by super fan Sarah Badger, who is as super fan as they come. Seriously, it’s in her blood. And I’m not being funny. Medical science somehow found a way to transfer Harry Potter lore into her blood stream and now her heart pumps the stuff.

You can follow us on Soundcloud, Youtube or iTunes and even Twitter! I’m sure there’s another, cool platform I’m forgetting but you can follow us on that too!

This week’s episode on the podcast, we talk about rereading old favorites. Because we tackle the hard hitting subjects other podcasts are too afraid to cover.

“But, Eric, ” you might ask, “did you just talk about this very subject on your blog?”

I sure did! I wrote about a few posts a while ago and that blog was the inspiration for the episode. Maybe it was an inspiration to us all. But let us know how you go about rereading old books, if you do at all.

You can follow us on Soundcloud, Youtube or iTunes and even Twitter! I’m sure there’s another, cool platform I’m forgetting but you can follow us on that too!

And with this post, I am now caught up with my podcast. So, be sure to check back every Friday for the newest episode! Or, you know, subscribe and track it yourself. Don’t become one of those “vanishing adults” politicians are going on about.

We talk Sexy New Books, because what’s sexier than a new book? Nothing. Unless that book comes with more books. Like an ebook bundle. I got the entire Wheel of Time series in one digital packet. That’s sexy.

I always feel bad when we’re not won over by these new books we talk about, but I think there’s an audience for surfers turned skateboarders. If you like these titles that we don’t care for, let us know. My Future Ex-Girlfriend sounded fun, but who cares about romance between 8th graders? I do think I should have given The Wanderers a fair shake, as it strikes me as a book that gets better as it moves along. That’s the curse of a sixty minute podcast, though!

And Nic is reading Flamingo Island, so some parties won out.

You can follow us on Soundcloud, Youtube or iTunes and even Twitter! I’m sure there’s another, cool platform I’m forgetting but you can follow us on that too!

This episode we talk the Bailey’s Prize, discuss the Mummy and chat more about Woman in Cabin 10. We add another title to our Lonely Hearts Book Club, but I might have been annoying during that segment.

I reviewed The Mummy on the blog, but at least you get a second opinion from Nic. And I have started the Woman in Cabin 10 but my wife reviewed it on her site, so check that out.

Our Lonely Hearts Book this episode was by Kate Wilhelm, winner of the Hugo Award. Huysman’s Pets, to be specific. It might be a great book. But, when I get an idea as potent as a Chris Farley movie that never was, how am I to be expected to focus on anything else. Farley was hilarious, hampered by not-fantastic films. My movie would have out-shown them all.

If you’re mad about my lack of interest in Wilhelm’s pet mystery, let me know. Keep in mind, I will be reading her work in the future, as I continue my way through Hugo winners. Let’s just hope Tommy Boy isn’t on TV at that time.

You can follow us on Soundcloud, Youtube or iTunes and even Twitter! I’m sure there’s another, cool platform I’m forgetting but you can follow us on that too!

On the 91st episode of The All the Books Show, we talked about podcasts. Nic and I each mentioned three podcasts for our listeners. The thing is, I listen to more than three podcasts! And a lot of them are a bit too geeky for me to talk about on the show.

So, I’m going to talk about my favorite podcasts that I listen to and would suggest to people with similar tastes. Or different tastes! Some people like branching out!

Let the free advertising begin.

The Weekly Planet

An Australian podcast hosted by Mr. Sunday Movies and Nick Mason (not that one), The Weekly Planet talks comics books, movies, tv and sometimes, rarely, video games. It’s a geek news cast, keeping listeners up-to-date with the latest rumors, trailers and reviews. Each week, the cover the latest news, review a movie or tackle a topic, talk about what they’re reading/watching and answer letters.

I used to get all my comic book news from sites like Comic Book Resources, but since I started listening to The Weekly Planet, I now get my news from this podcast exclusively. It’s funny, they tend to have great ideas and it doesn’t have the cold, corporate excitement of a press release like most websites. I don’t always agree with them, sometimes I feel like I know more about a subject then them, but it’s always amusing. Nic Mason is a quick wit and can crack me up without a moment’s notice. Mr. Sunday is a good spirit, though he gets much more aggressive than Mason. But he’s a great host with a pretty fun YouTube channel of his own.

It’s a great show for those who’d like to stay up to date with comic book movies, geek TV and pop culture in general.

Filthy Casuals

Next is another Australian podcast and this one has risen to the show I look forward to the most. The hosts, Tommy Dassalo, Ben Vernel and Adam Knox, are all funny comedians on their own, but together, the show is a great time.

Filthy Causals is a video game cast that covers the current gaming news and releases. They’ll speculate on rumors, review the games they’re playing and answer listener mail. Sometimes discussions go long and philosophical, such as the future of gaming or whether or not The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is, objectively, the best game ever made.

They’ll also dedicate whole episodes to certain topics, such as the time they covered TIME Magazine’s 50 Best Video Games of All Time list or, just recently, E3. They also will talk about whole series, such as the Grand Theft Auto or Mario games. Their humor is crude more often than not, but it’s hilarious and despite some of the harsher jokes, the show does create a warm environment to talk about video games. Never claiming to be experts or the most skilled and focusing on comedy over dry information sharing, it’s easy to recommend.

Do Go On

The last Australian podcast I’m going to list is also harder to describe. Each episode, one of the three hosts reports on a topic and the other two do their best to make the facts fun. Many of the topics are chosen by the listeners, with report topics ranging from Charlie Chaplin, Jack the Ripper, Shackleton’s Endurance or the Wives of King Henry VIII.

It’s a fun show. Dave Warneke, Jess Perkins and Matt Stewart crack each other up constantly and I’ve had to rewind to hear jokes a second time. It’s a show that I can bulldoze through, going through multiple episodes in a row. The topics are rarely boring on their own and the humor adds to it all. It’s a weirdly educational show and I’ve learned quite a bit while listening. Sometimes, the humor gets in the way of the fascinating history but it’s hard to fault it when it’s so entertaining.

The Great Albums

The Great Albums is a show that looks to cover the best albums in music history. The show’s goal is to talk about albums as a whole, as not just a vessel for singles but a work of art from first song to last. The hosts try to have the discussions about the work in the same way fans would, as two friends talking about their favorite music.

Bill Lambusta and Brian Erickson host the show and almost always have guest to talk about that week’s album. Topics range from the obvious Dark Side of the Moon and Who’s Next to the obscure, like New Miserable Experience. These days, the albums discussed depend on the guest’s favorites and Bill and Brian’s own taste tends to run a bit different than mine. While I don’t love all their choices, the conversations are always interesting. They have great thoughts about music and what makes it last.

I appreciate the focus on albums over singles, as I’ve learned to appreciate them myself over the last few years. I ended up buying a car with no aux port so I relearned how to listen to albums from beginning to end. It really is a different experience than listening to just your favorites on shuffle. And The Great Albums is a guide in finding the best music.

OverClocked PodCast

I wrote about OverClocked Remix back on Hubpages once or twice. To quickly talk about it, it’s a fantastic site that collects remixes of video game music. With thousands of songs and albums, it’s treasure trove of your favorite game’s soundtracks presented in new and interesting ways.

The OverClocked PodCast shines a spotlight on the website and video game music each episode. Brothers Stephen and Bryan Kelly will introduce music to each other, see what’s new over at OCR, interview a host about a particular track or project and than host a listener created playlist. The interviews are great practice in talking about what we love from game music and to see what elements stick with certain people. The playlists feel like a radio station got smart and started playing the best unaired music they could find.

I’ve been going to OverClocked Remix for seventeen years, filling my iTunes with it’s music. While I’ve tried to introduce the site to friends and family, it’s never stuck with them and I’ve been left to appreciate the music alone. But this podcast shares my love for the site and video game music in general. The Kelly Brothers are fun, nerdy hosts and keep the episodes cheery. If you’ve never been to the site or don’t listen to game music yourself, this cast is still a great music show and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for great tunes.

Revolutions

Is this somehow the nerdiest podcast I’m talking about? This is a history podcast hosted by Mike Duncan, who is not a comedian, that covers revolutions throughout history. Split into seasons by the revolution being covered, each episode focuses on elements and characters of history that make up the wars.

Duncan is frighteningly knowledgeable about each revolution and wise to keep each episode thirty minutes long. By keeping them short, the show feels digestible and less intimidating. Sure, some of these revolutions are more interesting than others, but I always feel smarter finishing an episode.

While Duncan can be a bit dry, he does have a sense of humor and brings up the insanity and bad choices that led to many of these uprisings. He’ll follow rabbit trails to see how small decisions lead to big consequences, he’ll make fun of historical figures and stop to make sure we’re understanding what’s happening. He’s not the world’s most charismatic entertainer, but he’s a fun professor if you’re an attentive student.

The Q&A with Jeff Goldsmith

One of the oldest podcast I still listen to as I used to follow Goldsmith’s other show Creative Screenwriting Magazine. The Q&A follows the same format; Jeff Goldsmith interviews screenwriters, directors and actors about the creative process of film making.

Each interview, Goldsmith has a formula of of questions for the guest. We learn how they got started, how they’re process works, if they outline or not, how they deal with writer’s block, etc. He then focuses on the movie at hand and asks about decisions, challenging scenes to write, elements that came easy and the creator’s next project(s).

This show has made me a more critical movie watcher, as I’ve learned terms and troupes of film making. Depending on the movie being discussed, some of the the interviews can be fascinating and seem too short. The episode with George Miller discussing Mad Max: Fury Road is criminally brief, the interviews with the writers of Marvel films are never long enough and I remember wanting the Nightcrawler show to not end. For writers, this is an invaluable cast. For film buffs, its more insight to share at parties. Even if you’re not a writer, this podcast can be a wonderful look into the creation of your favorite films. Highly recommended to everyone.

Shut Up and Sit Down

An extension of the popular board game website of the same name. The episodes are hosted by a steady crew of British gamers, tackling board game news and reviews, while also reading listener mail (sometimes even my own!). In the growing world of table top games, this pod is a quick way to stay up-to-date with new releases and trends in the hobby.

It’s mainly hosted by Quentin Smith and Paul Dean, with a regular rotation of other site contributors. They’re all enthusiastic about the hobby and it’s growth and many of them are very well traveled in the world of table top games. Even if their opinions are different from mine, they always know what they’re talking about and talk about games with a desire for others to play as well.

I owe Shut Up and Sit Down a lot, because they helped and guided me as I got into modern board games over the years. They were the first place I learned about 7 Wonders, Letters from Whitechapel and Rex. If it wasn’t for this show, I wouldn’t have wanted the classic Survive: Escape from Atlantis or tried the hilarious Spyfall. It’s been a great resource and it’s fun as well.

The Adventure Zone

A very new addition to my listening schedule, The Adventure Zone is one of the funniest podcasts I’ve ever listened to. Justin, Travis and Griffin McElroy are three brothers who bring their dad, Clint, along for a Dungeons and Dragons campaign, with few of them ever having played before.

Griffin runs the game, starting from the 5th Edition premade adventure and then creating his own world and story. He’s a funny guy alone, but his brothers carry a lot of the weight. Sure, some of it is from their own jokes, but their role playing can be so bizarre and hilarious that listening to the show while driving can dangerous. I ended up laughing myself into tears, thankfully in standstill traffic, during their early adventures.

It’s the only narrative podcast I listen to and it’s a a niche one as well. Where I might recommend most of the other shows to anyone, your mileage may very. My wife has very little D&D experience, but she still found the show entertaining and ended up laughing right alongside me, so I would suggest giving the first episode a try, despite reservations.

The Rest

There’s a few other shows I at least want to mention, if not get into deeply.

Fatman on Batman by Kevin Smith used to be a great exploration into the world of Batman and comic book history. He would have writers and artists of comics and tv come and be interviewed about the Dark Knight and it was an amazing look being the creation of some of the best Batman stories. Unfortunately, the show has lost focus and is now just another new show for movies. If you’re interested, I highly recommend going back through the older episodes, especially the interview with Dennis O’Neil.

Writing Excuses was the first podcast I ever heard and I loved it for a long time. The show changed format and focus a bit, and I personally lost interest as the years went on. Aside from that, it’ an amazing tool for inspiring writers with hosts who have been there and found success. Endless tips, suggestions and great ideas for writers (and readers), I don’t think I would have written a novel or taken a writing minor without this podcast.

Cane and Rinse is a new show I’ve found but I’m hooked. Every episode is an in-depth discussion about one particular video game. I’m not far enough a long to say too much more, but I find it fascinating and the hosts really do a good job talking about the game objectively with a dry, English wit. It probably won’t appeal to people who haven’t played the games but I recommend it to all interested parties.

Years ago, I wrote a post about Christian podcasts I suggested. It’s dated now and it’s not for everyone but you can find it here.

Any suggestions of your own? Podcasts you think I should listen to? Hate my choices? Let me know! And of course, be sure to check out my sweet podcast! It’s a weekly treat for readers and non-readers alike!